Thieves could have killed us – for £2 of copper gas pipe (From Southend Standard)
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Thieves could have killed us – for £2 of copper gas pipe
8:00am Friday 15th June 2012 in Echo News By Gina Marden
Targeted – Jenny Green’s external gas pipe
RECKLESS thieves put lives at risk by ripping a gas pipe from a wall for just £2 worth of copper.
The crooks’ actions left gas escaping from the pipe of the flat at Neville Shaw, Basildon, and the owners were only alerted after a worried commuter spotted the leak and called the gas company.
Jenny Green, 29, had been asleep at her home when the thieves struck.
They cut through the exposed gas mains pipe from the outside wall, to steal about half a metre of copper piping.
Miss Green was woken with a start by gas company officials banging at her flat door to warn her the gas was leaking.
A passer-by heard hissing from the leaking pipe, and, after smelling the gas, called emergency gas repairs.
Miss Green said: “The copper piping was worth about £2.
“It’s just ridiculous. I can’t do anything – I can’t cook, I’ve got no heating and no hot water and who knows how much it will cost for us to have it repaired.
“It’s really frightening and so dangerous because until the person knocked at the door, I had no idea there was a gas leak.
“If I had lit the hob to make some breakfast, the whole place could have gone up.
“I’m just really thankful someone reported it to the gas company.”
Police are appealing for witnesses. A spokesman said: “This theft was completely reckless as the suspects showed no regard for the safety of others.
“The thieves cut through a gas mains supply pipe which could have exploded at any time.”
Witnesses to the theft, which happened overnight, between Tuesday evening and 7am yesterday, can call police at Basildon on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.
Comments(33)
All 9 of me
says...
10:06am Fri 15 Jun 12
errrr....
it appears the pipe was ripped off the outside wall, so I am left wondering how with no internal gas supply the hob would function.
"Hi Jenny, really intersting local news story, if we send a photographer round, would you put on your best 'Echo face', for the camera ? "
hullman
says...
10:32am Fri 15 Jun 12
All 9 of me wrote:most modern hobs have electronic igniters---- ie they cause a spark!!!!!!!!!!!!
If I had lit the hob to make some breakfast, the whole place could have gone up.
errrr....
it appears the pipe was ripped off the outside wall, so I am left wondering how with no internal gas supply the hob would function.
"Hi Jenny, really intersting local news story, if we send a photographer round, would you put on your best 'Echo face', for the camera ? "
All 9 of me
says...
10:39am Fri 15 Jun 12
hullman wrote:one small point... outside !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
All 9 of me wrote:most modern hobs have electronic igniters---- ie they cause a spark!!!!!!!!!!!!
If I had lit the hob to make some breakfast, the whole place could have gone up.
errrr....
it appears the pipe was ripped off the outside wall, so I am left wondering how with no internal gas supply the hob would function.
"Hi Jenny, really intersting local news story, if we send a photographer round, would you put on your best 'Echo face', for the camera ? "
!
Bonky Badger
says...
10:55am Fri 15 Jun 12
StuckInTraffic
says...
11:07am Fri 15 Jun 12
You don't need heating at the moment so you will be fine.
I imagine you do know how much it will cost to have it repaired as going by the photo and the nice new piece of copper pipe and freshly soldered joints we can see it's already been fixed.
hullman
says...
11:19am Fri 15 Jun 12
All 9 of me wrote:gas would still be drawn into the house by convection
hullman wrote:one small point... outside !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
All 9 of me wrote:most modern hobs have electronic igniters---- ie they cause a spark!!!!!!!!!!!!
If I had lit the hob to make some breakfast, the whole place could have gone up.
errrr....
it appears the pipe was ripped off the outside wall, so I am left wondering how with no internal gas supply the hob would function.
"Hi Jenny, really intersting local news story, if we send a photographer round, would you put on your best 'Echo face', for the camera ? "
!
howironic
says...
11:24am Fri 15 Jun 12
Bonky Badger wrote:Lol nice one, but be careful, otherwise you will be reported to the relevant authorities.
Hmmm... I wonder who could be behind this particular theft!
its all minchy
says...
11:49am Fri 15 Jun 12
Bonky Badger wrote:dunno, call the coppers
Hmmm... I wonder who could be behind this particular theft!
Ian P
says...
12:56pm Fri 15 Jun 12
APR
says...
2:18pm Fri 15 Jun 12
Do you know how convection works ?
Anyway, the pipe would be sealed where it is sleeved through the wall.
I-say-you-say
says...
3:38pm Fri 15 Jun 12
Ian P wrote:Actually I think you'll find it's normally cheaper to run the pipework internally as it would be a shorter run however people don't like having visible pipework ruining the decoration of their homes and so opt for it to be run externally. External gas pipe work should now be run in galvanised steel (which is more expensive than copper) instead of copper as it is not as in demand as copper.
If the gas pipes were contained within the property, like they used to be, this kind of theft could not happen. Unfortunately, external pipework is a cheap and easy solution to feed gas around a building, particularly with more & more boilers being relocated in attics, resulting in easy pickings for light fingered thieves.
Also, regardless of where pipework is run (internal or external), if the thieves want to take it they will, just that internally run pipework would involve a break in and probably flooding as well.
firedog
says...
5:02pm Fri 15 Jun 12
As to who could have stolen it
try ryming it with crikey.
rjsizzler
says...
5:44pm Fri 15 Jun 12
I think the pipe will cost about £2.
Brunning999
says...
9:28pm Fri 15 Jun 12
mr_happy
says...
11:18pm Fri 15 Jun 12
henrygale
says...
1:27pm Sat 16 Jun 12
doasilikey
says...
2:04pm Sat 16 Jun 12
firedog wrote:You've got me stumped with that one, firedog.
What a wonderful news item for all the gasbags to have a go at.
As to who could have stolen it
try ryming it with crikey.
E-Types
says...
6:57pm Sat 16 Jun 12
Are the drug dealers responsible for this sort of crime or those who smoke the weed!
Soouthchurch59
says...
7:36pm Sat 16 Jun 12
I'd say it's the scrap metal dealers. No one would steal it - if they couldn't sell it!
E-Types
says...
7:41pm Sat 16 Jun 12
Soouthchurch59 wrote:So its a pick between the druggies, the scrappy's and the chavy's...
'Are the drug dealers responsible for this sort of crime or those who smoke the weed!'
I'd say it's the scrap metal dealers. No one would steal it - if they couldn't sell it!
CALL ME CLINT
says...
8:03pm Sat 16 Jun 12
E-Types
says...
8:48pm Sat 16 Jun 12
CALL ME CLINT wrote:The term you use is a racially abusive term as you know. It is offensive and illegal!
It could have been pikeys but I doubt it. They are not likely to nick such a small amount unless they were pikey kids in training. I suppose that's possible.
If you were suggesting it was Black person who was responsible would you also use a term that is likewise illegal and racially abusive?
Your offense has been noted and will be passed to the relevant authorities who are already aware of your criminality!
CALL ME CLINT
says...
2:43pm Sun 17 Jun 12
E-Types wrote:To the contrary. I know that I have not used a racially abusive term.
CALL ME CLINT wrote:The term you use is a racially abusive term as you know. It is offensive and illegal!
It could have been pikeys but I doubt it. They are not likely to nick such a small amount unless they were pikey kids in training. I suppose that's possible.
If you were suggesting it was Black person who was responsible would you also use a term that is likewise illegal and racially abusive?
Your offense has been noted and will be passed to the relevant authorities who are already aware of your criminality!
What I do know, as do regular readers, is that you are a clown.
E-Types
says...
3:41pm Sun 17 Jun 12
CALL ME CLINT wrote:People have been convicted of usage of the term! But you of course are impervious to that and know better.
E-Types wrote:To the contrary. I know that I have not used a racially abusive term.
CALL ME CLINT wrote:The term you use is a racially abusive term as you know. It is offensive and illegal!
It could have been pikeys but I doubt it. They are not likely to nick such a small amount unless they were pikey kids in training. I suppose that's possible.
If you were suggesting it was Black person who was responsible would you also use a term that is likewise illegal and racially abusive?
Your offense has been noted and will be passed to the relevant authorities who are already aware of your criminality!
What I do know, as do regular readers, is that you are a clown.
I'd say it was clear that those who committed the petty crime, probably for drugs, are from your strata of society!
firedog
says...
4:56pm Sun 17 Jun 12
type-e,which must be cockney
rhyming slang.Am I allowed to say cockney or is that racial
abuse.
Last Poster
says...
4:59pm Sun 17 Jun 12
Bonky Badger wrote:I guess with all the thieving going on in and around this estate, that is pretty obvious. The biggest known thieves around here are those who stole the people's parks....Basildon Tory Councillors! They (the Tories) were called "Blue" after the "bluey" (lead) they were always nicking, or so I have heard! :)
Hmmm... I wonder who could be behind this particular theft!
E-Types
says...
10:24pm Sun 17 Jun 12
Last Poster wrote:It been 'rumoured' they are looking to off-load a few more bits of open space and re-designated land to developers... they of course have no connections with in the least.
Bonky Badger wrote:I guess with all the thieving going on in and around this estate, that is pretty obvious. The biggest known thieves around here are those who stole the people's parks....Basildon Tory Councillors! They (the Tories) were called "Blue" after the "bluey" (lead) they were always nicking, or so I have heard! :)
Hmmm... I wonder who could be behind this particular theft!
But some people dont care what their council does as long as they empty the bins...now and then
Last Poster
says...
12:58am Mon 18 Jun 12
E-Types
says...
9:35am Mon 18 Jun 12
Last Poster wrote:I of course dont agree that these are irish Holiday homes but would agree the council will tweak at the first hint of a pay day even if its a long way down the line!
I love the way the council are "Modifying" the green belt rule on the Ford Dunton test site. It was a little tweak that was needed to change the green belt rule that let Fords build on the green belt, and now the council are re-tweaking it to allow who knows how many houses to be built. Just makes me wonder why a few holiday homes owned by a few Irish folk can cause such a furor, yet these "Democratic" councillors are doing far worse!
Unfortunately those who run the council know how to press the button that turns people into foaming at the mouth 'hang them high' mob screaming for something or other while the council then get on with the real reason they caused the distraction.
The sheeple fall of it all the time!
Minceir.
says...
3:52pm Mon 18 Jun 12
....................
....................
..Humbug!
Last Poster
says...
5:30pm Mon 18 Jun 12
E-Types wrote:OOOH, that "Hang them high" reference, just gets me sooo excited! If only....
Last Poster wrote:I of course dont agree that these are irish Holiday homes but would agree the council will tweak at the first hint of a pay day even if its a long way down the line!
I love the way the council are "Modifying" the green belt rule on the Ford Dunton test site. It was a little tweak that was needed to change the green belt rule that let Fords build on the green belt, and now the council are re-tweaking it to allow who knows how many houses to be built. Just makes me wonder why a few holiday homes owned by a few Irish folk can cause such a furor, yet these "Democratic" councillors are doing far worse!
Unfortunately those who run the council know how to press the button that turns people into foaming at the mouth 'hang them high' mob screaming for something or other while the council then get on with the real reason they caused the distraction.
The sheeple fall of it all the time!
I was reading about the councils plans for the new "High Quality" housing of Nethermayne. It includes open space to the rear, so I guess it is for non-Basildon people? Oh, and it will "Provide funding for the New Campus" that will turn our town centre into something akin to the teenage rampage that is now Southend high street sadly, you read the Billericay gazette and it is all about the council "Protecting the town from development" and "Preserving the historic value." How can this be the same council that has to regenerate our town no matter what we say?
APR
says...
4:13pm Tue 19 Jun 12
Ian P wrote:It is cheaper to run externally, especially if the house has a solid floor, or they have laminate flooring down.
If the gas pipes were contained within the property, like they used to be, this kind of theft could not happen. Unfortunately, external pipework is a cheap and easy solution to feed gas around a building, particularly with more & more boilers being relocated in attics, resulting in easy pickings for light fingered thieves.
APR says...
9:26am Fri 15 Jun 12
........
another copper pipe.
Good move :)